Name: ______________________
Ms. Mogavero
GATTACA and Bioethics
1. What lie is Vincent (main character) trying to maintain?
2. List four ways that Vincent maintains his genetic identity.
a.
b.
c.
d.
3. What does the term “Valid” mean in Vincent’s society?
4. Where are the space missions taking supplies and people?
5. When Vincent was born, what did the nurse immediately do, and why?
6. How are humans “expected” to reproduce in the movie?
7. What motivates people to use genetic screening?
8. What is the fundamental difference between Vincent and his brother Anton?
9. What is Vincent’s career dream?
10. What physical ailment (99% probability) prevents Vincent from ever “legally”
attaining his dream?
11. What does Vincent mean when he says, “my real resume was in my cells?”
Name: ______________________
Ms. Mogavero
12. GATTACA society is divided. What determines your social position?
13. What is Jerome’s (middle name is Eugene) problem, even though he is one of the
genetic elite?
14. Why does Vincent need Jerome?
15. What does Vincent have to do to his legs?
16. Describe Vincent’s “interview” at the space company.
17. Why does Vincent have to scrub his body so carefully?
18. Why is Vincent, pretending to be a “Valid”, called a “borrowed ladder?”
19. What are the women doing with saliva and hair samples?
20. What does Irene read on the printout?
Name: ______________________
Ms. Mogavero
21. What DNA source incriminates Vincent?
22. Who does the crime investigator turn out to be?
23. How is Vincent finally exposed at the GATTACA spaceport?
24. Why does the doctor let him through anyway?
Connecting Science Fiction and Fact
1. There are many hidden meaning in the words used in this film.
What does the word GATTACA mean?
2. How about the name Eugene? (Hint: what other biology words start with “eu?”)
3. After watching this film, how do you think genetic screening today might affect a
person’s ability to get a job, or get health insurance? Explain.
4. What tests already exist that make it almost impossible for a person to hide their true
identity or health condition? Give examples